Rotary explosive-engine.



No. 686,801. Patented Nov. l9, l90l. A. F. BOX & J. B. B. GAGUE-LABEDAN.

ROTARY EXPLUSIVE ENGINE.

(Application filed Nov. 16, 1896.)

(No Model.) 6 Sheets-Sheet l.

rm: NORRIS PETERS co, Puoirxumo. WASNINGYON. a. c.

Patented Nov. I9, I90l.

N n E B A E u G A G B & X a B F A m 8 6 8 6 o N ROTARY EXPLOSIVE ENGINE.

(Application filed Nov. 16, 1896.)

(No Model.)

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No. 686,80l.

Patented Nov. I9, I91. A. F. BOX 81. J. B. B. GAGUE-LABEDAN. I

ROTARY EXPLOSIVE ENGINE.

(App lication filed Nov. 16, 1896.)

6 Sheets-Sheet 3.

(No Model.)

THE Nonms PETERS c0. PHGTd-LITHQ, wasumnmn. D. C.

No. swam.

Patented Nov. l9, l90l. A. F. BOX & J. B. B. GAGUE-LABEDAN.

ROTARY EXPLOSIVE ENGINE.

(Application filed Nov. 16, 1898.)

6 Sheets-Shoot 4.

(No Model.)

No. 686,8Ul. Patented Nov. I9, |9o|.

. A. F. BOX & J. B. B. GAGUE-LABEDAN.

ROTARY EXPLOSIVE ENGINE.

(Application filed Nov. is, 1896.) y no Model.) 6 fleets-Sheet s.

No. 686,801. Patented Nov. 19, IBM. A. F. BOX 81. J. B. B.GAGUE-LABEDAN. ROTARY EXPLUSIVE ENGINE. (Application filed. Nov. 16,1896.) (No Model.) 6 Shaets-Sheet 6.

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UNiTED STATES PATENT ()FFICEO AUGUSTE FRANQOIS BOX AND JEAN BAPTISTEBARTHELEMY GAGUF- LABEDAN, OF PARIS, FRANCE.

ROTARY EXPLOSlVE-ENGIN E.

SEECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patefit N 0. 686,801, datedNovember 19, 1901.

Application filed November 16, 1896.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, AUGUSTE FRANgoIs Box and JEAN BAPTISTE BARTHELEMYGAGUE-LABEDAN, of the city of Paris, France, have invented Improvementsin Rotary Engines, (for which we have obtained Letters Patent in Francefor fifteen years,dated April 14, 1896, No. 255,517; in Belgium, forfifteen years, dated August 17, 1896, No. 123,063, and in England forfourteen years, dated August 20, 1896, No. 18,492,) of which thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to an improved rotary engine which may beoperated by steam or compressed. air or by the combustion of gas or oil;and the invention consists, essentially, in the combination andarrangement of the following essential parts of the engine, whichcomprises, first, a motor fly-wheel provided with two, three, or moreradial cylinders, each containing a piston and having'ports fortheinduction and eduction of the motive fluid, and, second, a peripheralroller-path of elliptical form acting as an abutment for the pistons,sothat as each piston is forced outward by the fluid-pressure it exerts(after passing the deadpoint at the minor axis of the ellipse) againstthe roller-path an effort in a direction obbeing a section on line 1 2of the admissionvalve, and Fig. 4 a section on line 3 4 of the exhaust,these section-lines being indicated in Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is an elevation ofa modification of the engine, Fig, 6, a longitudinal section on lines 55 and 6 6; Fig. 7, a horizontal section on line 7 8; Fig. 8, an endelevation Fig. 9-, adetail view in elevation,and

Serial No. 612,278- (No model.)

Fig. 9 in vertical section, of the distributionvalves. 7

The same letters of reference denote the same parts in all the figures.

The engine represented in Figs. 1 to 4 coinprises, essentially, afly-wheel a, keyed on a shaft a, turning in bearings on the framework,one of said bearings being provided, as will be hereinafter described,with suitable passages and ports for the induction and eduction of themotive fluid. The fly-wheel a is provided with four cylinders b b b b,disposed radially and at right angles to each other, each fitted with apiston c 0 0 0 but it is to be understood that the number of cylindersmay be varied according to circumstances. Each piston carries at itsouter end a cross head or shaft 01, which reciprocates in longitudinalguides f and carries a pair of friction-rollers e, which abut eachagainst a stationary circumjacent rollerpath g, of elliptical form,respectively mounted upon the standards of the framing. The engine-shaftct revolves at the one end in an ordinary bearing 1., carried by thecross-bar j, and at the other end in a stationary distribution-valvewithin avalve-box Z, carried by the crossbarj. The valve 70 has two setsof passagesthe passages in k communicating with the exhaust-chamber Zand the passages 70 7a with the admission-chamber Z the admission andexhaust pipes being connected to said chambers at m m. In order toprevent leakage,

the distribution-valve 7c is held against its seat by fluid-pressurepassing through the small channels n from the admission-passages k 70The cylinders are respectively provided at their inner ends with ports h7?? its 71 each of which is by the revolution of the engine presented tothe passages 7c7c Mk in succession, so as to place each cylinder 1) b bb alternately in communication with the admission and exhaust.

In the position shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4 the cylinders b b are opento the admission and the cylinders b, b to the exhaust, the pressuremoving pistons c c outward as soon as they have passed the dead-pointsat the minor axis of the elliptical roller-path.

As the pistons exert a thrust oblique to the normal to the roller-pathat the point of contact therewith of the piston-rollers, the tangentialcomponent of the force imparts angular motion to the engine, the pistonsc o being at the same time caused to perform their return stroke inpassing from the major toward the minor axis of the ellipticalrollerpath g. When the engine has made a quarter-revolution, thecylinders b b open to the admission and cylinders 79 b to the exhaust,the same action being repeated, whereby continuous rotary motion isobtained. Any suitable governor and brake may be employed.

Figs. 5 to 9 illustrate a modification of the engine designed moreparticularly as agas or oil engine. The motor fly-Wheel a has only tworadial cylinders 12, combined in one, placed diametrically, in which twopistons c 0 work simultaneouslyin opposite directions, the pistons beingprovided, as before, with rollers e, which travel within a pair ofrollerpaths g of elliptical form. The cylinder 6 is brought by itsrotation alternately into communication with the induction and exhaustthrough the medium of a valve-seat a carried by the fly-wheel Ct andhaving a double port a for the admission of air, a port a for theadmission of petroleum-vapor, and an ignition-port a each opening to thecylinder. The valve-seat a moves over a stationary valve formed on theframe having a cavity y for the passage of air, an admission-port y forpetroleum-vapor, an exhaust-port y and an ignition-port y whichcommunicates with passage y". lhe exhaust occurs when port 0. comesopposite port M, the gases passing through chamber z and escaping at 2'.An automatic regulator for controlling the admission of thepetroleum-vapor consists of a disk 0, having ports 0' opposite theadmissionport a, said disk revolving with the engine, but being capableof relative angular adj ustment, so as to vary the effective sectionalarea of the admission-port, the adjustment of the disk being performedby any kind of governor-such, for example, as two weights movable alonga guide-bar and tending to move apart in opposition to a spring underthe action of centrifugal force-so that when the speed exceeds a certainlimit the disk 0 gradually closes the vapor-admission port until only asufficient vapor is admitted to produce an explosion, and finally theadmission-orifice is completely closed, the cylinder then only inhalingair until the speed again becomes normal, whereupon the disk returns toits initial position for the admission of potroleum-vapor. To regulatethe admission of petroleum by hand, the collar to, loose about the valve(1 has two arms to e0 which terminate in pins engaging in slots in theregulating-disk 0. In normal working the collar w revolves with theengine, and the ports 0 of disk 0 are opposite the admission-port a.

period of compression.

If, however, the collar w be retarded by a lever on, acting thereon as abrake, the disk 0 will be shifted relatively to the valve-port a so asto reduce its area or even entirely close it. The two cheeks of theframing are made hollow to serve as reservoirs for the petroleum, whichis injected by means of a pump or other suitable means through thenozzle 10 into the admission-chamber within the framing. The air inhaledis drawn from the in closed space within the fly-wheel at around thecylinder, which is preferably gilled, whereby the surplus heat of thecylinder is imparted to the air before being inhaled, fresh air enteringthe fly-wheel through the apertures q. The motion may be transmitted byany suitable means; but it is preferred to employ the arrangement ofreversing and speed gear represented in Fig. 7. A pinion r on the shafta gears with two coned friction-disks s 8 revolving in oppositedirections and with one or other of whose friction-surfaces s s a doublefriction-cone 25 on a shaft 15 is brought into frictional contact, sothat the shaft is driven in one or other direction, for which purposeshaft t is adapted to slide longitudinally in its bearings u. Frictionaldriving contact between the disks and cone is insured by spiral springs'y, and the speed of the shaft 15 will vary according as the point ofcontact of the friction-cone is toward the periphery or center of thedriving-disk.

In the type of engine illustrated in Figs. 5 to 9 the explosion isproduced between the two pistons, which are forced in oppositedirections, whereby higher speed is obtained, the engine working on thefour-phase cycle. The position represented in the drawings correspondsto the end of the period of admission which has taken place during thepreceding quarter-revolution. During the next quarter of a revolutionthe pistons are forced inward by the roller path, this being the At theend of this period the explosion takes place, followed by expansionduring the next quarter of a revolution, while the exhaust takes placeduring the last quarter of a revolution. The explosive mixture is thenagain admitted, and the same operations are repeated at each revolution.

The engine may also be arranged to work on the compound principle.

We claim 1. An explosive-engine comprising a hollow rotary wheelprovided with an air-inlet, cylinders carried by said wheel interiorlyso as to be inclosed in an air-chamber formed by the hollow wheel, avalve for establishing communication between said air-chamber and thecylinders, means for admitting fuel and for producing internalcombustion, pistons in said cylinders, and means for rotating the wheelby the movement of the pistons.

2. An explosive-engine comprising a rotary wheel or casing provided Withan air-let and I The foregoing specification of ourimprove- IO formingan air-chamber, cylinders giiled exments in rotary engines signed by usthis 4th ternally and carried by the wheel within said day of November,1896.

air-chamber, a valve for establishing coin- AUGUSTE FRANQOIS BOX.

5 innnication between said air-chamber and a the cylinders means foradmitting fuel and JLAN BAPTISTE BARTHELhMl brAGUE LABEDAN. forproducing internal combustion, pistons Witnesses: in said cylinders, andmeans for rotating the H. T. SMITH,

wheel by the movement of the pistons. ALBERT MOREAU.

